Lewis Krakauer - He is the author's father. Lewis taught Jon how to climb and led him on climbing trips when he was young. He was also a volatile and stubborn man. Lewis planned out his children's education and jobs when they were toddlers. He told Jon that he would get into a good college before attending Harvard Medical School. It was the path that he followed, and he thought it was the best life. Jon did not want to do what his father wanted him to, and they began to fight regularly. Lewis suffered from post-polio syndrome years later. He started taking a ton of medicine, and he eventually went insane.
Walt McCandless - He visits the site of Chris's death with the author and his wife. He was doing contract work for NASA in Fairbanks before the trip. At the bus where Chris died, Walt initially snaps at Billie, saying that he has a lot of reasons for disliking Alaska, but he eventually realizes why Alaska appealled to Chris. Walt is mostly silent during the trip, but he is glad that they went.
Billie McCandless - She is reminded of where she grew up from the surroundings of the bus. Billie examines Chris's stuff on the bus and remembers what they are from. She is comforted that she knows Chris was at the site, as she does not know exactly where Chris had been before his death. Billie knows that he is gone and it will be hard dealing with it, but she is going to try as hard as she can to continue to live her life.
Lewis Krakauer - He is the author's father. Lewis taught Jon how to climb and led him on climbing trips when he was young. He was also a volatile and stubborn man. Lewis planned out his children's education and jobs when they were toddlers. He told Jon that he would get into a good college before attending Harvard Medical School. It was the path that he followed, and he thought it was the best life. Jon did not want to do what his father wanted him to, and they began to fight regularly. Lewis suffered from post-polio syndrome years later. He started taking a ton of medicine, and he eventually went insane.
Walt McCandless - He visits the site of Chris's death with the author and his wife. He was doing contract work for NASA in Fairbanks before the trip. At the bus where Chris died, Walt initially snaps at Billie, saying that he has a lot of reasons for disliking Alaska, but he eventually realizes why Alaska appealled to Chris. Walt is mostly silent during the trip, but he is glad that they went.
Billie McCandless - She is reminded of where she grew up from the surroundings of the bus. Billie examines Chris's stuff on the bus and remembers what they are from. She is comforted that she knows Chris was at the site, as she does not know exactly where Chris had been before his death. Billie knows that he is gone and it will be hard dealing with it, but she is going to try as hard as she can to continue to live her life.